Alone We Are Together
by I.write.sins.not.tradgedies
Summary: Toph is, lets put it simply, bored and tired of Aang’s lack of focus, Sokka’s lack of a brain and Katara’s motherliness. She plays hooky for the day and ends up in craploads of trouble. But what the hell? Trouble is fun!


**Title: **Alone We Are Together

**Genre: **Action/adventure/Humor/Romance/Angst/Annoyance (is annoyance a genre because hell, Toph is annoyed a lot)

**Rating: **T for language and nondescript "intimate" relationships

**Summary: **Toph is, lets put it simply, bored and tired of Aang's lack of focus, Sokka's lack of a brain and Katara's motherliness. She plays hooky for the day and ends up in craploads of trouble. But what the hell? Trouble is fun!

**"Just A Girl" **

_Take this pink ribbon off my eyes _

_I'm exposed and it's no big surprise _

_Don't you think I know exactly where I stand? _

_This world is forcing me to hold your hand _

-No Doubt

Things have been, how can I say, different lately. I'm not really sure what, but I can see it. Well, not literally see it; I am blind. It's kind of hard to explain. Just the other day, while I was training eartbending with Aang, his concentration was nowhere near what it should have been. At first I thought he was just preoccupied, you know, considering our horrendous defeat in Ba Sing Se. Oh and the fact that he does have to face the fire lord soon. But he's been off for at least two month now. I can't keep encouraging him like Katara pushes me to do; I'm not some prissy perfect princess who will put up with anything less than one hundred percent. Argh! It frustrates me to no end.

Anyway, practice isn't the only time he's off kilter. The other day I asked him if I could have some litchi nuts, which I've surprisingly grown to like lately, and he spilled all the nuts like I snuck up on him or something. I know I'm a silent walker but hell, it's not like I'm a ninja. I think he's avoiding me too.

I don't remember the last time Twinkle Toes and I have had a friendly sparring session of earth and air bending.

It's not just Aang either. Sokka seems to be having trouble holding on to things as well. I swear that all boys are butterfingers. I mean, I was just asking for some jerky when he suddenly spasms at the sound of my voice and drops the strips on the ground. He laughed awkwardly and then sort of shuffled away. I didn't care then 'cause that left me with more jerky.

But I'm starting to think he's avoiding me as well. Not that I really mind that _that_ much. His raging stupidity is brain damaging. But I do miss the meat eating contests we had, which I always won by the way. The worst part of all this with Aang and Sokka completely ignoring me is, Katara's the only one I can be around to kill the insane boredom. Which she is happy, even ecstatic for, but it's killing me inside. There is only so much of Katara's cheeriness and over abundant maternal instincts I can handle. If I wanted mothering, I would have just stayed at home. At least there I could have played with my flying boars. I swear that they are more entertaining than that girl at times.

All that crap leads to why I'm here: alone, in this stinky peasants' pub. Alone in the sense that everyone around me is male with bulging muscles and a stench my oversensitive nose is slowly dying from. My god, have these guys ever heard of bathing? A healthy coat of earth is fine with me, but what else were they rolling in? Sewer sludge? Yuck. I couldn't help but scrunch up my nose in disgust.

Maybe I should order something to eat. My stomach grumbled its affirmative reply, but shit, Katara's "let's all share and be happy" philosophy made sure that all our money was saved together. Most likely because Aang bought the most useless crap and Sokka wasn't much better at resisting temptation. But it really was bothersome for me. How the hell was I supposed to get a meal now?

I groaned as I dropped my head onto the comforting stone table. The cold feel of earth was pleasing but the familiar sound I was starting to distinguish from the loud voices and grunts made me near smile. The heavy clinking of coins. Sweet sweet money, come to papa. By the sound of its footsteps, the rich one was heading out the door. It was most likely male and it had two companions following him. He was lighter than most males in the pub, yet his footsteps were strong and held a hint of arrogance. But that was still no problem for me. Blind I might be, but this was going to be a piece of cake.

Swiftly picking myself up from my seat, I slowly followed the three with calculated footsteps that I myself could not hear. It was easy to do when I could feel the firmest and softest grounds to thread on with my bare feet. I stayed a safe eight to ten feet behind them. By the sound of things, the streets were relatively crowded, plenty of cover for my short self. I've grown a few inches over the months but I'm still the shortest of the Aang gang, I can tell.

Waiting for a place where a thick crowd of people adequately surrounded the three, I planned out a quick strategy. From the sound of it, his money was in a back pouch resting on his left leg, tied to his waist. I bended two slivers of earth from the ground, one sharp and thin, and the other rounded like a bowl, right behind the man with the money. Straining to hear the exact sounds of where the money was clinking, I tediously held the rocks at the same spot in the air. One miscalculation and I surely would be found out.

With my right hand, I made the sharp, knife like piece of rock slash through the pouch in a clean sweep, the moment his right foot struck the ground. The pouch was airborne the second I made the small incision because of the impact from his leg to the ground, so he didn't feel the small force of the initial cut as the now torn pouch made contact with his leg again. I let the stone drop to the ground; if the man ever caught on he can search all he wanted, he'd never suspect a dumb rock. I cautiously moved in closer for more control over the other stone.

I smirked as the injured bag spat out one beautiful coin after another strait into my curved rock with a clink only I could hear. This was too easy. When eight more pieces bled from the motion of the man's walking, I crushed the curved rock into a rounded shape, the coins safely encased inside. This way, they wouldn't fall out or make unnecessary noise. I lowered the rock to the ground and rolled it towards me, avoiding people by the sounds of their footsteps along the way.

The poor fool wouldn't know what hit him. I nonchalantly picked up the rock and crumbled off the earthen exterior easily before pocketing the total of nine coins. It was plenty for all the meat I could eat and maybe some beer. I wonder how much I'd have to hassle the guy to get me some beer? (1)

Calmly I turned around and began to head back to the filthy pub. I only stopped when an enticing smell caught my attention. Mm... beef. I walked towards the smell and from what I could hear it sounded like just another restaurant albeit it smelled cleaner. I groped for the wall and made contact, I followed the surface and smell and went through the open door smoothly. Some girl a little older than me greeted and told me I was free to sit anywhere. She seemed busy taking orders from another group of customers.

She didn't notice that I was blind, and I was glad. I sat at the nearest empty table I could sense, not wanting to seem suspicious just standing at the door.

I must have picked the wrong table because she came up to me a moment later asking me, "Why are you sitting at_ that_ table?"

What? I wasn't allowed to sit at this table? Was it only for _important_ customers? Fuck that. I'm Toph Bei Fong and I can sit wherever the hell I want to. "Because I felt like it. Why, is it too good for a scrawny girl like me?"

"Uhm ...no? Just, I haven't cleared that table yet. Why don't you sit at one of the clean ones?"

I felt my cheeks heat up. "Oh God. Just give me the knife now." I scowled as I heard the familiar gasp of realization.

"OH! You're _blind_. I'm so sorry. Just let me help you to another table. I'm so sorry I didn't notice earlier." Her thin hands gripped my shoulders and led me to another table a few feet away. "Is it really alright for you to be wandering around alone? Are you lost?"

My face reddened as she continued to fuss over helpless ole me and began gaining attention from the other customers. The only thing keeping me from wrenching my body away from those annoying hands and eyes was my starving stomach. I let myself be set down as she began reading off what they served here.

My mouth watered, it seems this place specialized in beef dishes.

"I'll have the three largest beef dishes you serve here." I cut in before she could finish the list of meals.

"Are you sure? It would surely be too much for-" Gods she was annoying.

"Look, I wouldn't order anything I wasn't sure I couldn't handle."

"But the largest dishes are quite expensive and-" I glared at her and thankfully she shut up.

"I'm blind. It's not like I'll be able to eat and run." I smiled as sweetly as I could and she ate it up.

"Alrighty then. I hope you will enjoy your meal." She walked away and I slumped into my chair. I could feel eyes picking me apart and it was quite unnerving. What the hell were their problems? Just because I'm fucking blind, does not mean they should go and mock me by using their eyes to stare.

I was so caught up in the staring I didn't notice the familiar rhythm of footsteps till they were walking just behind me. Oh shit. It was the man I had "borrowed" some money from and crew. Dumb, dumb, dumb! Of course they would check the local shops for their thief. This city was fucking _filled _with starving people. The first thing any nitwit with enough money would do is go and fill his stomach. I nearly slapped myself in the face from stupidity. I paled.

Oh. My. God. Was Sokka starting to rub off on me? Shit!

I tried to still my shaking, but hell. Me becoming like Sokka? I shivered. Shaking my head to dispel such horrendous thoughts, I didn't notice that footsteps were heading towards my direction. Panic shot through my mind. Shit, shit, shit... Damn you Sokka, this is all your fault!

"Here's your food little lady!" The smell of roasted, boiled, and marinated beef suddenly rushed into me and cleared away all fear. Huh, it was just the waiter girl. My brain went blank as the delicious aroma surrounded me. I was just about to dig into the roasted slices of heaven when a heavy hand landed on my shoulder. What the hell?

"That's a lot of food you've got there."

I nodded while shrugging off the offending hand and stuffing beef into my drooling mouth. "Wha- of –it?" I didn't bother closing my mouth while chewing and I really didn't care about not eating and talking at the same time. I'm fucking hungry. I stabbed another slice of roasted beef.

The figure took a step towards an empty seat next to me and I froze with the morsel of meat midway to my mouth. Oh shit. It was he. Curse you delicious meat and your distracting scrumptiousness! But you're just so good. I crammed the second piece into my mouth before going into panic. Oh shit. What the hell am I supposed to do now?

"So, how's a cute little girl like you going to pay for all this?" I could hear the faint swoosh of his arm gesturing to the three plates of food that surely covered the entire table.

Be calm. I'll be calm and then he won't be able to know it was me. Calm. Calm. Just be fucking calm, damn it! I crammed another forkful of beef into my mouth to buy myself a few precious seconds of blissful beefy time.

"My parents have money." Chew. "And today's my birthday." Swallow "So they let me have a treat today." There. Most of it was true, and there was no way he could prove today was not her birthday.

"Really. So where are they? Shouldn't they be celebrating with their precious daughter?" His voice was pure skepticism, barely laced with a hint of amusement.

I nearly cried. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I'm so- and then I was struck by the smartest thought I've ever thought. I began to cry. "They... they... said... they said that... that... they were... too... too... too busy. Sniffle. They were too busy for me!" Damn, I should become an actress. I threw my face into my hands and sobbed my little heart out. "I know I'm blind and can't see but... that doesn't mean I don't have feelings too!" I could feel the eyes of the restaurant begin to glare at the man next to my hyperventilating self, was beginning to fidget nervously.

"Hey, hey. Now, don't cry. Don't cry. ...I'm sorry. Just please stop crying." His voice sounded a bit desperate at the end as whispers began around the room. Something along the lines of, "that horrible young man. Harassing such a cute little girl. A blind one even!"

I took in a shaky, from repressed laughter, breath and let out a piercing wail that would have made Appa proud.

"Why? It's not like I asked to be blind!" I just fucking rock at it. "My parents _should_ be here to celebrate my birthday! Where are they? They're probably off with Don! That stupid jerk of a brother." Tee-he, that's the name of my flying boar. I pretended to try and pull myself together; I burst into new snot-laced sobs instead.

"Aw, that poor girl." I nearly snorted at the whispers but changed them into grunts of sadness. Hn, weren't there three of these guys before?

"Uhm, ohm, it's okay. I'll celebrate with you! How's that?" Sob. "I'll even pay for your food!" Wail. "Stop crying!" Whimper. "Please? Pretty please?" Grunt. "I'll even buy you dessert afterwards? Come on. Please? It's ice-cream."

Sweet, ice cream! I sucked in a deep breath and stopped my sobbing. I felt the other two guys stride over to where their leader was from another table to the side. I nearly laughed out loud; they were dining when their leader was in impending distress. ...I liked them already.

"I told you she didn't do it, Jet." The shorter, wow, she was shorter than me, said. She had a squeaky voice with a tinge of maturity to it. The other remained silent.

"Shut it Smellerbee!" My ice cream buying buddy snapped back. "You too Longshot."

Wow, that Longshot sure had a way with words. I completely agree.

"I'm sorry Longshot. I won't do it again. Thanks."

There was an awkward silence and I was starting to get bored, so I threw a piece of my beef at Smellerbee's face. It landed with a sharp splat and unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you see things, landed on my harasser's chest. I figured that from the low growl that was now rippling through the silent room.

I couldn't help but start giggling. Smellerbee and the rest of the room joined in and I could feel the anger and murderous intent oozing off of this 'Jet' as I made my escape under the cover of mocking laughter.

I turned back as soon as I had one foot out the door. "Thanks for the meal!" I pulled out a few pieces of the stolen coins. "Oh and I think this will cover for my desert, quite nicely."

Wow, I really didn't know faces could turn that color, I mean Jet's face was already a deep tan but purple? Speeding away with the help of some earth bending I let out one more giggle.

I should play hooky more often.

-TBC

(1) – Yes, I know Toph is only 12. But she likes to disobey her parents and so I don't find it too unbelievable that she would not have started to like highly addictive alcohol.

Author's note: Ok, so it's finally happened. I have started to write an Avatar fanfic. But my God, Toph is fucking awesome! So yeah, this will be a Toph centered ficlet. With possible pairings between Toph and someone. I don't want to ruin it for you guys! It won't be centered on any particular pairing just mainly Toph because she needs to be the main character.

Wasn't that surprising with Jet? I hope it was. He might be a reoccurring character, because I like Jet almost as much as Toph, so look out for him.

Reviews and emails are my life support. Please keep me alive!


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